The Hebrew
sages inform us that the concept of the Holy Temple was and still is an
important factor in the Divine act of creation. In fact, the Temple was
one of the reasons that the universe was brought into existence.
The Almighty 'contemplated
seven things before creating the universe:
"Torah,
Repentance,
the Garden of Eden,
Gehenna,
the Throne of Glory,
the Holy Temple,
And the Messiah's identity"
Pesachim 54a
In plain
words, the Temple represents an essential stage in the spiritual development
and moral rectification of all creation.
This holy complex and its
Divine service have the power to hasten the advent of the Messiah and bring
about the final redemption for mankind.
There is an ancient Hebrew
tradition which says that the first sacrifice offered on Mount Moriah
in Jerusalem was brought by Adam on the day that he was created.
Later, Cain and Abel presented
offerings to God upon the altar, which Adam had built.
They were followed by Noah,
who in turn was followed by the patriarch Abraham.
The offering required of
Abraham, however, was different from all others. . .
The Sages direct our attention
to the fact that on two separate occasions, Abraham is commanded by God
to set out on a journey.
In Genesis 12:1, God enjoins
the patriarch to leave his birthplace and father's house in the Mesopotamian
city of Haran in order to go the land that God will show him, Canaan, the
land of Israel.
"Now the Lord had
said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and
from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:"
Genesis 12:1
KJV
Years later, Abraham is called
upon again. This time he is told to take his beloved son Isaac to Mount
Moriah and present him there as a burnt offering.
"And He said, Take
now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into
the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of
the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Genesis 22:2
KJV
When a heavenly angel appeared
to Abraham and prevents him from carrying out the Divine command, he feels
compelled to find a substitute. Looking up, he notices a ram caught in
the thickets, and sacrifices it "in his son's stead."
This episode serves as an
archetype for all Temple sacrifice thenceforth. Such service must contain
an element of genuine self sacrifice before God. It was then that Abraham
declared the establishment of a Sanctuary on that spot, Mount Moriah.
The Sages of the Midrash
pose a very interesting question: which of abraham's two Divine callings
was of greater significance.. .
His trek to the
Land of Israel,
Or his journey to Mount
Moriah?
They conclude, the Sages that
is, that the second was the more important of the two. Abraham's journey
to Mount Moriah, because it paved the way for the establishment of the
Holy Temple, was more momentous than his initial emigration to the Land
of Israel.
"The Holy Temple," say the
sages, "is the beautification of the world."
When Israel dwells in its
land with the Holy Temple functioning in its proper place, beauty and excellence
are bestowed upon all humanity.
Hundreds of years later,
God frees the Children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. In the desert,
at the foot of Mount Sanai, they construct a Sanctuary, The Tabernacle.
When we reflect on this Divine
Act, the day of the Tabernacle's dedication is a zenith in world history.
According to the Midrash,
this
day was adorned with ten "crowns" because it represented the first day
of creation.
Yes, it was the
first day of creation;
It was the first
day that the leaders of the tribes of Israel began to bring their offerings
to the Tabernacle;
It was the first day that
Aaron and his sons began to serve as priests;
It was the first day of the
Divine service for the Israelites;
It was the day that fire
descended from heaven to consume the sacrifices on the altar;
It was the first day that
Israelites were required to eat their offerings within the boundaries of
the tabernacle's enclosures;
It was the first day that
the Divine Presence rested on Israel;
It was the first day that
the Israelites were blessed with the Priestly Blessings;
It was the first day that
private alters were forbidden;
It was the first day that
the New Moon Festival was celebrated.
Through the wilderness and into
the Land of Israel, the Sanctuary wandered from place to place with no
fixed home for 440 years.
Finally, the time arrived
for transferring the Sanctuary to its permanent location in Jerusalem.
David brought the ark up to the City of David, dug the Temple's foundations,
and built an altar on Mount Moriah.
Solomon, his son, continued
his father's work, engaging multitudes in quarrying stone and transporting
materials for the building project.
Finally, the work was completed.
At the dedication ceremony, King Solomon praised the Lord for His abundant
kindness and announced that the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was to be at once
a place of worship for the nation of Israel and a house for ALL PEOPLE
ON PLANET EARTH.
As we shall see in future
articles that will follow, the First and Second Temple eras
were the most glorious in Israel's history.
Yet, as noted, the true purpose
of the Sanctuary is to be a light and inspiration for all humanity.
As the time draws closer
for us believers, both Messianic and Gentiles, the Church, to meet the
Lord in the air, the remnant that will stay behind after the rapture will
rebuilt the Temple of God in Jerusalem yet once and again.
God's Temple will be restored
to its former state of Glory as the soul and conscience of the entire world
and focal point for the prayers of all humanity and it shall stand during
the thousand year reign of Messiah here on the earth.
